Signal device



Nov. 25, 1930. J. l.. LAMONT Y 1,783,124

S IGNAL DEVICE Filed Nov. l5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @ff/f7.1.

INVENTOR JZ.ZQ"77707 'BYMM n ATTORNE NOV. 2,5, 1930. L LAMONT 1,783,124

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1929 :5 sheets-sheet. 2

BYMWJ.

ATTORN EY Nov. 25, 1930, .1. 1 LAMONT 1,783,124

SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Nov. l5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNvENToRv \90 4 wlTNEss lll @772072Z ATTORN EY y Patented Nov. 25, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JESSE L. LAMONT, or GENEsEo, i'rLINors srGNAL DEVICE Application led November 15, 1929.` Seria1-No. 407,460.`

actuated by relays in a closed circuit con-l nected with the track. f v

A further objectief the invention is the provision of a signal for railway crossings in which` the operating mechanism of a movable signal actuates switches for contnollingcircuits that include a motor for moving the sig# nal by means of instrumentalities to an oper# ative or an inoperative position, a closedcir- -cuitbeing employed for controlling a relay for maintaining the circuit to the motor open while being shorted when the-train moves into ablock adjacent the railroad crossing;

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, .in view of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless it' is to be understood that the invention is not conned to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define no material departure from the salient `,features of the invention as expressed inthe appended claims. p u vIn thedrawings: 1 A Y y Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the railway crossing signal constructed in `accordance with the principles of. invention.

Figure 2 is a weightedarm. y y f vFigure 3 is a verticalsection taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1. Y i Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through the operatingirmechanism y for the weighted arm and signal.

Figure 5 is aview in perspective of aswitch arm connected with the` circuits.

"25 rotatably `mounted view in perspective of a Figure 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6*-,6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken along the line 7-7of Figure 1. Figure 8 shows more or less diagrammatically one form of electrical circuit for controlling the signal.

Figure9 is a modifiedk form of the electric circuit as applied to a single track.` i Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 designates generallya frame hav- Y ing an opening 11 at its upper end through VWhich a signal 12 is adapted to be` displayed.

Below this opening, the frame work is covered by meanslofa front face 13 and a rear face 14 when thesaid signal is disposed in an inoperative position. The lower portion of the frame Work is provided with a housing 15 in which is mounted the operating mechanism for plained. Y f

The signal is providedwith rollers 16 rotatably4 mounted `at 17 at the side edges of the'signal 12 and .adapted to bereceived `Within guides 181secured to the 'side edgesP of the framelO.

In the casing 20 is mounted a worm gear 22 which `is secured to Va shaft 23` having its opposite end projecting beyond theV side Walls of the casing. Aworm 24 meshes with the worm gear 22`and is secured to a shaft in bearings 26 formed in the casing 20.

The weighted arm 30is secured at31to the inner end of the 4shaft 23 andis provided i Vwith a weight 32` at one end. Y The opposite or lowerend ispivotally connected at 33 toa rod 34 which extends upwardly and is connected'at 351to1 the upper endof the sig- 'nal12. W f n A 4rotatable member "40 is'secured to the shaft 23`atits outer end andis providedA with cam portions 41 andp42 adapted fto operate a switch `arm 61'.) The rotatable member has a portion 43 for a willb'e presently'explained'. i

' .A bracket 45 is secured to the shelf 21 and the switch arm 61 which is formedof resilient material is secured to a block 46' extending laterallyfrom the bracket45. 1

the signal to be presently, eX- 7 purpose which 9 Referring more particularly to Figure 9 it will be seen that a battery 80 is connected by a wire 81 to one rail 82 of a single track while a wire 83 connects the other pole of the battery to a. rail 84 of said track. It will be noted that the rails 85 and 86 are insulated from the rails 82 and 84 as shown at 84a. A wire 87 connects one terminal of a solenoid or relay 88 with the rail 82 while a wire 89 connects the other terminal of the solenoid with the rail 84. An armature 90 is actuated by the solenoid 88 normally to move an arm 91 of a switching element in engagement with a Contact 92 which in turn i is connect-ed by a wire 69 with a contact member 64.

A wire 95 connects one pole of a battery 96 with the arm 91 while a wire 97 connects the other pole of the battery to a motor 98. Wires 99 and 100 connect a lamp 101 with th-e wire 97 and with a wire 67. A resistance 103 is in series with the wires 100 and 67. A spring 106 is adapted to move arm 91 into engagement with contact 104 when the arm is released by the solenoid 88.

The wire 69 connects the contact member 92 with the contact 64. The movable arm 61 is adapted to move its contact member 62 alternately in engagement with a contact 63 or the contact 64. A wire 65 connects the movable arm 61 of the double throw switch with the motor 98.

The operation of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and Figure 9 is as follows: The parts shown in these figures are in a position where the signal 12 is inoperatively disposed and invisible to the travelling public. 1 Y 1 When the train moves into the insulated section of the track represented by the rails 82 and 84, the battery 80 isV short circuited and the electroanagnet 88 is cle-energized permitting the spring 106 to move the switch member 91 into engagement with the contact 104, thereby closing the circuit through wire 67, contact 63, switch element 61, wire 65, motor 98 and through the battery 96 and wire 95 back to the movable switch element 91. At this time the circuit to the lamp 101 is likewise closed which will illuminate the signal 12. Since the motor 98 has been lset into operation it will revolve the shaft in a direction which will cause the weighted arm to be moved to a position opposite to that shown in Figure 1, thereby placing the signal 12 in visibleposition. While the signal is being moved to its uppermost and operative position, the free end of the suitable element 61 is riding over the portion of the cam so that contact 62a' is in engagement with contact 63. When th-e cam has passed through 180o, ythe arm 61 will engage the portion 43L and break the circuit to the motor since the contact 62a is moved out of engagement with the contact 63 while Contact 62 is moved into engagement with contact 64. The circuit connected with the contact 64 is broken and the motor remains inoperative. rThis is due to the fact that the member 91 is in engagement with the contact 104.

Then the tra-in passes beyond the insulated rails 82 and 84, the current from the battery will pass thro-ugh the rails, through wires 87 and 89 and the magnet 88, thereby causing the armature to move the switch element 91 away from the contact 104 and into engagement with the contact 92 against the tension of the spring 106. Since the movable switch contact 62 engages the contact 64, current from the battery 96 will pass through the motor 98, through the switch represented by the elements 61, and 64, wire 69, the switch represented by the elements 91, 92 and wire 95. It will be appreciated that at this time the circuit to the lamp 101 is broken. The motor 92 actuates the cam 40 and shafts 23 and 25 and the signal is lowered to an invisible position. As soon as the free end of the member 61 slips olf the portion 43, the circuit to the motor is broken by reason of the fact that the contact 62 is moved away from the contact 64 and the switch arm 91 is in the position shown in Figure 9.

The weight 32 carried by the arm 30 bal ances or equalizes the weight of the signal 12 so that the signal will be retained in its operative upper position when the arm is located at dead center.

Referring more particularly to the form i shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8 it will be seen that pairs of rails 82, 84, and 82, 84a disclose a double track system in which the trains are adapted to travel in opposite directions. The battery 80 is in circuit with the rails 82 and 84 by means of wires 81 and 83. Wires 120 and 121 complete the circuit of said battery to a magnet 122 having a movable armature 123 controlling the switch element 124 which is adapted to engage contacts 125, 126. A wire 127 connects the contact 125 to one pole of a battery 128 while a wire 129 connects contact 126 with a contact 130. A

wire 131 connects the other pole of the battery 128 with one terminal of the electromagnet 88. A wire 133 connects the other terminal of the magnet with a contact 134.

A magnet 137 energized by a battery 80a through wires 135, 136 and rails 82n and 84a controls the position of the armature 140 normally retaining the switch element 139 in engagement with contacts 130 and 134 so that the circuit to 4the magnet 88 will remain closed.

The operation of the device shown in Figure 8 is as follows: Vhen the train moves on the rails 82 and 84, the battery 80 is short circuited, thereby (le-energizing the magnet 122 so that the switch element 124 is moved out of engagement with the contacts 125 and 23 and 25 which cause the signal `12 to be 61, contacts 62a and 62, and wires 65, 97 and 99a. The motor revolves the cam 40 and shafts moved to its exposed position.`A At the time that the signal reaches the end of its exposed position, the free end of the member 61 will be moved on the portion 43a of the cam 40 so that the contact 62 will engagethe contact 64 and thereby break the circuit to theV motor and retain the signal in its exposed position until the train moves out of the block;

As soon as the train moves beyond the insu lated rails 82 and 84 the current from the battery will energize the solenoid 122, closing the switch member 124 and thereby closing the circuit to the Solenoid 88 causing the armature 90 to move the member 91 so that it will engage the contact 104 and close the circuit to the motor. Since the contact 62 of the switch member` 61 is in engagement with the contact 64 the current from thebattery 96 will pass through the switch member 91, wires 69 and 65, motor 98 andwire97. Atthis time the Vfree end of the switch member 61 is riding onv the portion 43a of thecam 40 which is being revolved by the shafts 23'and 25 while at the same time the crank arm 30 through the rod 34 is lowering the signal 12 to its Vinoper-` ative position in the housing 13. Atrthe time the signal 12 reaches its lowermost position, the free end of the member 61 will have reached the portion 43, thereby moving the contact62 out of engagement with the contact 64 and breaking the circuit to the motor.V The contact 62L is now inl engagement with the contact 63.`

I claim:

l. A signalling system for railway crossings comprising a movable signal, `a `casing for normally housing the signal, a motor, a signal actuating means actuated by the motor, a plurality of open electrical. circuits asso- .ciated with the motor, a donbleacting switch operated by the motor adapted to alternately aid in closing one circuit while opening another circuit, a second switch, electrofmagnetic means Jfor actuating the switch and cooperating with the iirst switch `for closingone of the circuits and opening the other circuit, a closed'circuit connected with therails of a railway crossing adapted to be short circuited by a moving train for controlling the magy netic means, and a lamp connected with the open circuits and adapted to be `illuminated when the circuits are closed by the co-oper'- ating switches. 2. A signalling system for railwaycrossdiate its ends to the shaft, a rod pivotally connected at one endto the end of the crank arm which is opposite to the end having the weight, the other end of the rod being connected with the signal.

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